Robert De Niro’s wise words for his kids

Robert De Niro makes an effort to communicate with his teenage offspring – even when they appear to ignore his advice.

The “Raging Bull” star, who has five children from three relationships, admits his words of wisdom often seem to go unheard but he’s convinced the youngsters actually value what he has to say. He explains, “One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my years as a father is to keep the lines of communication open with my kids.

“I have five of them, ranging in age from 14 to their 30s, by three mothers, so I guess you could call it a fractionalized family of sorts.

“But I care deeply about all of them, and I have made a conscious effort to talk to and to listen to them. Sometimes it’s hard to talk to kids, especially when they’re teenagers. They’re in their own world, and they don’t look like they’re even listening to you.

“But that’s the time when it’s most important to find a way to talk to them – not to lecture them, but to tell them things I think are important for them to know. And the thing to remember is that, even when they look like they’re not listening to you, they are. You have to accept that, at this point in their lives, you’re not going to get much of a reaction from them. But what you say is making an impression.”